Focus on Voyage Planning

from Ecology’s Spill Prevention, Preparedness, and Response Program (Spills Program)

Voyage planning is a key element of Bridge Resource Management (BRM) forming the foundation
the bridge team will use to ensure the vessel’s safe transit along its intended route. A voyage plan
(or passage plan) is a comprehensive, berth to berth guide, developed and used by a vessel’s bridge
team to determine the most favorable route, to identify potential problems or hazards along the
route, and to adopt bridge management practices to ensure the vessel’s safe passage. During
passage planning, portions of a voyage that have the potential to pose the greatest risk should
receive additional review, and the limits and conditions for undertaking those portions of the
voyage set in advance.

The Master should review and approve the plan and each bridge team member should review and
sign the plan indicating they understand it. If a voyage is not proceeding as planned or cannot be
accomplished safely under existing conditions, this should be communicated honestly and quickly
within the ship’s management system. Adjustments to the voyage plan must be made accordingly
and communicated effectively.

Voyage Planning Considerations

In preparation for voyage planning, a wide array of information must be reviewed and considered.
The following is a list of some items the officer in charge of voyage planning might consult:
• Appropriately-scaled charts, navigational publications such as notices to mariners, and
nautical publications;
• Waterway characteristics, navigational obstructions, bar crossings and water depths;
• Institutional knowledge of areas to be transited from previous voyages (may be taken from
previous voyage plans developed by fleet vessels);
• Characteristics, condition (including engineering conditions), and operational limitations of
the vessel;
• Applicable local regulations, including Vessel Traffic Services (VTS), tug escort or assist
services, and pilotage requirements, etc.;
• Predicted weather, current, tidal, wind, swell, and visibility conditions along the route;
• Vessel traffic patterns and areas of expected high traffic density;
• Internal and external communication procedures and requirements;
• Vessel operations which require additional searoom, such as ballast exchange or pilot
embarkation;
• Anticipated watch conditions; and
• Company’s regulations such as ships’ routing schemes and reporting systems.

International Maritime Organization (IMO) Guidelines For Voyage Planning,

Resolution A.893(21) adopted on 25 November 1999 should be followed.

April 2006 98-254 (rev. 4/06)

Original printed on recycled paper.
 Voyage Planning Elements

A comprehensive voyage plan will include details marked on the appropriate charts (paper or
electronic) as well as voyage planning forms provided by the vessel’s management company under
their Safety Management Manual and consistent throughout the company’s fleet. The voyage plan
should include the following details as a minimum:
• Planned track with true course and distance of each leg, plotted out on appropriately-scaled
charts (if an electronic charting system is used, the appropriate waypoints should be entered
in the system and checked by another individual);
• Safe speed for each leg of the passage, taking into account navigational hazards,
maneuvering characteristics, and draft in relation to water depth including squat and heel
effect when turning, as applicable;
• Estimated times of arrival at critical points in the plan;
• Wheel over positions, as applicable;
• Turn radius for each alteration, as applicable;
• Areas to be avoided where the vessel is restricted either by local regulations (i.e., marine
sanctuaries) or restricted due to water depth or local dangers;
• Areas covered by local regulations such as VTS, tug escort or assist services, and pilotage
requirements;
• Areas with high traffic density and/or ferry crossings;
• Areas considered to be pilotage waters where the Master, an area license holder, or a Pilot
should be on the bridge;
• Areas where it is considered that the engine room should be at an increased state of
readiness;
• Navigational marks to use when navigating visually near a waypoint indicating an alteration
of course;
• Method and frequency of position fixing, including primary and secondary alternatives; and

• Contingency plans for emergencies including abort points for port, channel, and/or berth
approaches, and actions to take to place the vessel in deep water or proceed to a port of
refuge or safe anchorage.

Voyage Planning and Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS)

ECDIS is a system, approved by an

Voyage planning and monitoring can be
appropriate governmental authority,
done on an approved ECDIS instead of
consisting of type-approved hardware and
paper charts for areas covered by Vector
software which uses a sophisticated
Charts (ENC). (ENC is a vector chart issued
electronic database containing authorized
by a national hydrographic office and
charting and other navigation information.
approved by the competent authority.) For
This is combined with satellite and other
areas of the world not covered by vector
position fixing and with ship's sensors to
charts, the system may be used with Raster
provide a powerful decision-making tool on
Charts. However, ECDIS equipment must
the bridge of a ship. ECDIS allows the
be used together with an appropriate folio of
watch officers to view the intended vessel
up-to-date paper charts when using Raster
track, the course made good, surrounding
Chart Display System (RCDS) mode.
vessel traffic and potential navigational
hazards on one screen.

April 2006 - If you require this publication in an alternate format, please contact the Spills
Program at (360) 407-7455(Voice) or (TTY) at 711 or 1-800-833-6388.
When using ECDIS for voyage planning, the
navigation officer should establish a “safety For ECDIS to meet a minimum level of
contour” around the vessel to fully use the reliability and functionality, the
automated function of ECDIS. (The safety contour International Maritime Organization (IMO)
function of the ECDIS allows the mariner to developed a performance standard. This
choose an isobath from the database to be standard specifies how an ECDIS must
emphasized and associated with a variety of work to be an adequate replacement for the
available alarms.) If the ship crosses a safety paper nautical chart. IMO Performance
contour or approaches a prohibited or specially- Standards permit ECDIS-equipped vessels
defined area such as a traffic separation zone, to dispense with the up-to-date paper charts
ECDIS will automatically indicate the error while required by Regulation V, Chapter 20 of
the route is being planned and executed1. Due to the 1974 SOLAS Convention. The ECDIS
the complexity of the system, navigation officers system also needs to be approved by the
should receive training on the vessel’s specific appropriate government authority.
ECDIS system with annual refresher training.

Properly trained navigation officers should determine what is appropriate in terms

of alarms and navigation parameters according to the characteristics of the vessel
and other prevailing conditions.

Voyage Planning and Electronic Charting Systems (ECS)

All electronic chart systems other than ECDIS are known simply as ECS. There are no agreed
standards for ECS or versions of the charts that they use. Because of this, ECS are NOT
recognized as an alternative to paper charts where charts are required to be carried under United
States or international regulations. An ECS may be used as one of the suite of navigation tools
used by the bridge team but may not replace the paper charts.

Vector Electronic Charts (ENC) - ENC are vector charts that also conform to the
International Hydrographic Organization’s (IHO) specifications. ENC are compiled from a
database of individual items ('objects') of digitized chart data which can be displayed as a
seamless chart. When used in an electronic navigation system, the data is reassembled to
display either the entire chart image or a user-selected combination of data. ENC are intelligent
in that systems using them can be programmed to give warning of impending danger in relation
to the vessel's position and movement.

Raster Nautical Charts (RNC) - RNCs are raster charts that also conform to IHO
specifications but are produced by digitally scanning a paper chart image. The resulting digital
file may then be displayed in an electronic navigation system where the vessel’s position,
generally derived from electronic position-fixing systems, can be shown. Since the displayed
data are merely a digital photocopy of the original paper chart, the image has no intelligence.
Other than visually, it cannot be interrogated. IMO resolution MSC.86 (70) permits ECDIS
equipment to operate in a Raster Chart Display System (RCDS) mode in the absence of
Electronic Navigational Charts; however, when in this mode ECDIS must be used together with
an appropriate folio of up-to-date paper charts.
1 Bridge Procedures Guide, Third Edition 1998

For more information contact:

Washington Department of Ecology
Spill Prevention, Preparedness, and Response Program
PO Box 47600, Olympia, WA 98504-7600

Olympia Office, (360) 407-7455, Fax (360) 407-7288

Puget Sound Field Office, (206) 389-2431, Fax (206) 587-5196
Vancouver Field Office-Spill Prevention Unit, (360) 690-4782, Fax (360) 690-7166

April 2006 - If you require this publication in an alternate format, please contact the Spills
Program at (360) 407-7455(Voice) or (TTY) at 711 or 1-800-833-6388.
 VOYAGE / PASSAGE PLAN

VESSEL: ___________________________________________________ DATE: ______________________________ VOYAGE NUMBER: _________________

FROM: ___________________________________________________ TO: ___________________________________________________________

CHARTS TO USE:

LIST OF LIGHTS:

SAILING DIRECTIONS:

LIST OF LIGHTS, RADIO AIDS & FOG SIGNALS:

PILOT CHART ATLAS:

EQUIPMENT: __________________________________________________________________________________________ VHF CHANNELS: _____________________________

PLAN PREPARED BY: ______________________________ APPROVED BY: _____________________________ PLAN REVIEWED BY: ____________________________
nd
2 Officer Master Chief Officer

PLAN REVIEWED BY: ______________________________ PLAN REVIEWED BY: ______________________________ GYRO ERROR: __________________ (EAST / WEST)
rd
3 Officer Chief Engineer

Chart WP Waypoint Waypoint Course Dist. To Dist. To Go Min. Exp. Dist. From Fix Primary Secondary GMDSS Remarks & Instructions
No. No. Latitude Longitude (RL/GC) Next WP Pilot to Pilot Depth Shore Frequency Fix Method Fix Method Info.

April 2006 - If you require this publication in an alternate format, please contact the Spills Program at (360) 407-7455(Voice) or (TTY) at 711 or 1-800-833-6388.